A Heart of Old
by ThatSunAngel
Summary: (SYOC closed) After an unfortunate event gets a prince to leave home on his own, he meets very strange people who seem to each have their own paths and ideas to forge. However, as each tragedy strikes, they all grow closer as a team.
1. The Tragedy

_I have absolutely been smitten with the Fire Emblem series, and I hope to get Three Houses soon. Anyways, I'm starting a SYOC to create a whole new story! I will not use existing characters from the series (Maybe one or two) and will focus on getting your characters out there! I'm using one of my own existing characters as our protagonist, but I can use other characters as well! I'll put the application in the reviews or you can DM me and I'll send it to you there! Just make sure to title it, "A Heart of Old- OC Name- Class" because it helps me stay organized. I'm only accepting a certain number from each class and I hope to update soon. By the way, there will definitely be pairings and hopefully children between characters, so if you'd rather not have your character paired just say so! Well, onto the story!_

* * *

Tears clouded his vision, impairing what little he could see in the darkness. The steady thump of his horse running from beneath him. He tangled his hands through her blonde mane as his chest constricted and a flurry of emotions hit him.

Sadness

Anger

Regret

All three of those mixing and melding, like a mad tango is his heart and mind. The thirst for revenge, the need to find whoever did this and make them pay. The mere thoughts he was having worrying him.

This was no way for a prince to behave.

* * *

Breakfast was one of the best times of the day, in his own humble opinion. He loved seeing his mother's radiant smile and adoring gazes she gave his father. His father enveloping her in his arms and whispering in her ear, making her giggle before their meals were served. Frederick wished that he would one day find love as strong as this, over 20 years and they were still as passionate about each other as the day they met. The two wed and has their first and only child, Frederick Hale. Seventeen years passed after his birth and Frederick was the proud crowned prince from Croelia.

The feast came, delicious pancakes and waffles covered in rich, gooey syrup. Mountains of fresh fruit and jams overflowing. Drinks of all kinds from every edge of the kingdom. A feast easily able to feed multiple small villages for only 3 people. He normally tried not to think about that as he ate.

His mother, Genevieve Hale, had pale skin and gorgeous auburn locks that curled down to her waist. She stood proud with her emerald eyes shining with warmth that spread a sense of ease around the room. Her sky blue gown shifted as she stepped away from her husband and walked towards her son. Frederick felt at ease as he bowed to her and heard her soft, tinkling laughter.

"Your emblem is hidden, dear."

He felt embarrassed as she pulled out the silver necklace that proudly showed everyone the royal crest of his family, the silver shield with a ruby heart in the center connected to two silver angel wings. She fixed it atop his sash and took his hand, walking back to her husband.

Aberforth Hale looked at his two favorite people in the world, watching them walk towards him. He looked into a nearby mirror and gestured for them to join him. He saw his own cobalt blue eyes staring back and fixed his lavender hair out of his face, his smile making him look 10 years younger. He shaved this morning, so his cheeks and chin were absolutely baby soft. His fur cape draped around his shoulders and his crown barely balanced on his head, leaning a bit to the left. He felt a very familiar pull in his chest before pulling out his handkerchief and coughing into it, seeing a bit of blood. He hid the cloth before pulling his arms around the two and giving a warm laugh.

"Look at us! This... this is what a royal family should look like!"

He saw his son Frederick give one of his soft smiles and Genevieve give a huge warm one. His son was almost the perfect mix of both of them. He had his father's hair but his mother's eyes, along with the twinkle she had and a very hidden mischievous side from himself. He was much more formal than either of them though, something that he must have developed on his own. His attire was primarily cream, with the gold sash and his name embroidered in blue near the bottom corner of his top.

"Ah yes, let us eat!"

He put his arm around Genevieve's waist and seated her, watching Frederick pull out his own chair and sit. As he finally sat, the servants waiting began to serve each of them before stepping back and waiting for their next set of instructions. Genevieve waved them away with a warm smile and they departed. Well, all but one.

The messenger had been waiting awkwardly for his moment to speak with the king. Aberforth stood and saw the other two engaged in a conversation. He went to the doorway and ushered for the messenger to follow him.

Genevieve saw Abe walking away from the corner of her but paid it no mind. He would tell her about it later. For now though, she had to finish her story about that fabled red leopard.

* * *

Frederick and his mare, Evangeline, went into the closest town that had injured people to help as much as they could. His healing abilities had been improving quite a bit lately but he still had trouble healing while mounted. Evangeline seemed to get excited every time he tried and would prance, knocking him off balance. He was not the best troubadour in the kingdom but he was trying. He stayed there until sundown, then began the trek home.

As the two were making their way back, he heard a conversation and slowed Evangeline down when he heard his mother's name. Now, most people adored her so this wouldn't be a problem, but they spoke with such malicious intent, he had to stop.

"He's already on his way to the castle, and the prince is gone. King Aberforth was always a warrior so he's probably out with most of the castle people to protect her. I can't believe one of our own alerted him about our assassination attempts. It'll be harder to get to the queen but we only need one clean shot. The rest of the clerics probably went with him to keep him alive-"

The raspy voice stopped as he listened to his surroundings. By that time though, Evangeline and her rider had long since left.

* * *

He reached the castle and threw himself off of his horse, getting through the unguarded entrance and going straight to his parent's room. He knocked and began yelling for his mother to open her door. It opened a crack and he saw her green eyes peeking out before she opened the door and began to speak.

"Frederick darli-"

Before she could finish her sentence, she froze and looked down at her stomach before coughing and collapsing in his outstretched arms. She had an arrow going through her, the tip purple with an unknown substance. He staggered before getting a better grip, mute with shock.

"I'm sorry Frederick, I didn't... want you to have to see anything... that may hurt you..."

Her breathing got shallow as he lay her on her bed, scanning for any trace of her assailant. He quickly pulled out his staff and tried to heal her, but to no avail. Her blue bodice grew heavy as the blood blossomed through the fabric. She put her arm to his cheek and spoke.

"Watch after Abe for me, you're all he has left."

Finally he found his voice, weak and frightened. "Why would anyone do this to you, mother? How... How could they?"

She grimaced before smiling one last time. "Some people would do anything to get what they want. We are on the brink of war, and I fear my death may be the push for the fighting to begin. Please, stay with your father... I love you... my dear child."

Her eyes went glassy and cold as his tears stained her face.

"I love you too", he whispered.

* * *

He was going to find whoever did this to his family, no matter the cost. He never wanted to hear his proud father cry again. With that, he urged Evangeline forward.

* * *

And that's it! It's longer than what I usually write, so that cool I guess. I just have this little note here to say that if you send a character and you've read this far, tell me who your favorite Fire Emblem character is, or which game. I'll give more consideration to people who have read everything I wrote. Bye for now!

~Sun


	2. The Disguise

Going to be completely honest here, while I love the characters you guys have been sending (completely in love, you guys are super talented!) I have been getting quite a few females and I am not looking to create a harem-

I would appreciate more male characters but that doesn't mean you guys have to stop sending in females! Worst case scenario, I'll create a male or two to balance everyone out!

So far, I would prefer to not get anymore fliers or calm characters. I have a few of those and I would hate to start rejecting characters because they're too similar :(

I may start writing characters in but submissions won't be closed until either the 10th of this month or the 14th!

* * *

As his tears dried and he looked around, he slowed Evangeline to a trot. Night had settled quickly, and he wasn't sure where he was. He spotted the reflection of the moon from a nearby stream and steered Evangeline towards it. He removed all of his riding gear from her before gently grabbing her muzzle and speaking.

"I'm sorry for all of this, girl."

He lightly stroked her face and sighed.

"I didn't need to bring you, but I didn't want to be alone. Plus, what if someone doesn't know how to take care of you?"

She snorted and gently pressed her muzzle against his chest. He stroked her mane before grabbing one of the bags he took off of her side. It was an emergency bag his... his mother had packed in case they ever needed to flee the castle. He had grabbed it right before leaving but never knew what she packed.

As Evangeline grazed nearby, he took out the contents of the bag. A deep blue cloak with gold trim around it, a few apples and some bread she must have packed a day or so ago, a compass, his gold-rimmed glasses, and 10,000 gold.

He put on his glasses, his vision getting much clearer immediately. He never particularly liked wearing them since he didn't look very prince-like with them on. He sat on the grass and looked at the compass. They seemed to be walking towards the southern area of the continent. He wasn't sure how quickly news spread, but perhaps someone there would know something of his mother's killer.

* * *

If memory served, there should be a small town a bit further down where he and Evangeline could rest. It was named Bragate, and that was where some of his favorite comfort foods originated from. His favorite was a simple mix of warm milk,, honey, and almonds that warmed him to his bones. The mere thought of finding this drink kept him moving forward.

As Evangeline moved toward the gates he saw the guards stare for a second before bowing and letting him pass without a word. She slowed to as a walk when they got near the merchant area and he saw the familiar gaze of surprise. What he didn't expect was the pity that some of these people looked at him with. He was not a fan of being looked down on, his pride not allowing him to show any weakness. With his head held high, he took Evangeline to one of the stables each town had for travelers such as himself.

He paid the workers there 100 gold before moving by foot to a nearby inn. He felt the constant stares at his back and decided that he had enough. Scanning the area proved fruitful as he had found what he was looking for. A clothing store that nobles would go to whenever they wanted something to bring home. He briskly walked in and looked around, before jumping in surprise when an old woman spoke to him.

"Why Prince Frederick, whatever are you doing in our quaint little shop?"

He cleared his throat and smiled at her before responding. "I was hoping to find clothes that better suit me for everyday wear, rather than my palace clothing."

She nodded and grabbed his forearm, dragging him towards a simple tunic and pants. They were blue with a gold trim, and looked to be worth 200-300 gold pieces. When he asked the price, she said that she could sell it to him for 1000 gold. He grimaced and instantly knew that she raised the price just for him, but he really did not want to deal with the stares of the townspeople. He agreed to that price and walked back to Evangeline with the clothes.

She still had his bags when he returned (thank goodness) but she hadn't been properly fed. They gave her carrots, which neither of them appreciated. He gave her some hay he found and fresh water before going back to the inn he saw earlier.

Standing in the doorway, he realized that this entire trip would be nothing like the castle life he was so very used to. The floors were just clean enough to pass his inspection but there were several stains on the walls that he was worried about. He walked towards the maiden who seemed to be asleep at a counter. Carefully tapping her shoulder to rouse her, she jumped and stared at him before blushing.

"Oh my, how unbecoming of me! To have a prince see me in such a state!"

He waited for her to finish flustering over her appearance before asking, "How much for a room for tonight?"

She seemed to be at a loss for words before quickly pointing to a sign before her and burying her face in her hands. The sign read '250 gold a night' and he pulled out the right amount before depositing it onto her counter. Without counting the money, she automatically pointed him to the furthest room and tried to move away from him.

"Pardon me, miss! Do you happen to have a map of any sort?"

She turned and looked him straight in the eyes before nodding and quickly pulling out a map from one of the drawers the room had and running off.

"...Thank you, I suppose?"

He took of his crown before setting it on the nightstand next to the flame that kept the room bright. Removing his palace clothing, he replaced it with the very expensive tunic and sat on the bed, staring at the map given to him. It was a rather large one, having most of not all of the kingdoms and tribes on it.

The first kingdom he saw on the map stood proudly in the center. Croelia, a kingdom of peace and prosperity that had been dubbed 'The Kingdom of Life' many years ago.

The Trarenth Tribe stood to the west, proudly bearing most of the continent's food supply with their agricultural prowess. They had been dubbed 'The Earth Tribe'.

Towards the south of Croelia, the fiery and proud Aesedour Kingdom had some of the most passionate and strong fighters. They were called 'The Fire Kingdom', a name given by his own father.

The east coast was fairly empty on the surface, but hidden under the waves the Kingdom of Therea boasted the most beautiful gems and such. They adopted the 'Water Kingdom' title graciously.

The northwest area was home to the Dalon Tribe, where it was most common to find riders and fliers training due to the harsh winds. Such winds are what led to the Tribe being called 'The Wind Tribe' from time to time.

To the northeast, however, he saw a kingdom he knew next to nothing about. The Xera Kingdom was never spoken about in Croelia, but their nickname preceded them. 'The Kingdom of Death'.

Perhaps someone from that kingdom had attacked his mother. Croelia was always on good terms with the other kingdoms and tribes, but Xera was never spoken of or to. He would have to look into that in the morning, but for now he had to sleep. With that thought lingering in his mind, he blew out the candle.

* * *

So there's another chapter! :D

This was a bit lighter than the first and had some exposition pertaining to how the continent looked since some of you were curious! I don't have much else to say, I hope you all have wonderful days!

~Sun


	3. The Deal

Today we have our first character joining us, and more will come soon! I've chosen who I feel like I can write, and if you guys would like I can leave a list on my profile. If I did not accept your character you are free to send another, it was probably something that I could not or would not be able to write. If I've accepted your character and have not already asked, could you send quotes? I would like dialogue to be as accurate as possible ^^

* * *

He woke up to messy lavender hair in his face and a crick in his neck after lying in a less than ideal bed. Initially, he would have complained but he realized that this would be the norm soon. That didn't stop him from automatically waiting for his attendants to come and help him bathe. Horror immediately struck as he realized that he may need to go to one of the notorious bath houses.

He shook his head and decided that rinsing in the stream from earlier would be a better alternative to that. He gathered his belongings before going to fetch Evangeline.

* * *

Atop Evangeline's back, fresh from the stream, he realized that everything was radically changing. No more dinners at home, no more of his father's boisterous laughter, no more jokes shared between himself and his attendants. He could always go home to his father, but he needed to know who took his mother from him so suddenly and why.

Suddenly, he felt a feeling of dread. A chill went up his spine and both he and Evangeline went on high alert. He slowed her to a trot and she whinnied quietly. He heard powerful beats in the sky and looked to see a pegasus knight, clad in a very familiar outfit with his kingdom's colors. The deep blue, soft cream, and glowing gold taunting him. When he was missing home, this is not what he hoped for. He saw the knight fly towards him, and made Evangeline sprint in return.

He couldn't be stopped now, he still knew nothing of his mother's passing. He spotted another town nearby and stopped Evangeline on the outskirts. He left her there with his possessions and ran to a tavern nearby. He knew that he couldn't get away with speed alone, so he pulled the hood of his cloak up and sat in a corner, hoping that they would overlook him.

A warm voice that was somehow both soft and stern reached him, and he immediately knew he had been found.

"So not only do you run away from home, but you still wear our colors as well? I'm not sure if we should be upset or honored."

He questioned what the voice meant, and looking at his outfit explained it. The blue of his cloak, the gold trim and tan outfit (which could appear like a darker cream color) matched his countries colors perfectly. He buried his face in his hands as he felt the inevitable blush warm his face.

The woman in front of his caught his attention again, and he had a good look at her. Her navy blue eyes were focused on him, but he could tell that she was also paying attention to her surroundings. Her hair was tied into a braided crown with a few strands of deep, crimson red freed from flight. The nape of her neck had twin pinned feathers that must have been keeping her hair in place. She was much shorter than him, and she had an olive skin tone. She was definitely 5'5" or less, but she was definitely older than him. Something about her was familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Have we... met before?"

She nodded before speaking. "I'm one of your retainers, and it has been my duty to keep you safe these past 7 years."

He looked to her, shocked. "Then why haven't you been around me more often? I don't even know your name!"

She bowed to him and said, "I am Evalyyn Haight, and my duty has been to protect you, not entertain you. I am here to return you to your father."

He grimaced, and gestured for her to sit. As she sat, she placed her weapon on the table before quickly grabbing it again before she settled, on alert for any attacks towards her prince. From the quick glance he got, he saw that her spear was silver with wings on it, and it looked to be quite powerful.

He focused his attention back to Evalyyn. "So, how do you plan to take me back to the palace without me causing a scene? I refuse to go back without a fight and we both know that you would win a battle between the two of us. I doubt father would appreciate me returning with harm done to me." He truly hated speaking like this but he knew that nothing else would work. He must seem like an awful person.

She thought for a bit, taking his words into consideration. "How about a game? If you can figure out how I did something, I will leave you to yourself and you may do what you left to do."

"And if I cannot figure it out?"

"You take me with you and after this entire quest of yours, we return to the castle immediately."

This did not seem like a horrible deal, but he would be a bit uncomfortable traveling with someone he does not know too well. He knew that this would be the best course of action, and he was fairly intelligent regardless.

"Deal, so what will you be doing?"

She had a small grin as she pulled out a deck of cards from her satchel. She searches throughout the deck and pulls out 4 cards, all aces. After placing them face up, she makes a show of pulling 12 extra cards out of the deck and putting the deck away.

"These 12 are random cards, are they not?"

He nods, and she begins.

"This trick has a story connected to it, it is a story of four friends." She places the aces far away from each other facing up, and puts three of the random cards atop each one.

"They had been separated after a war and burdens were thrust upon each of them. The leader, the ace of spades, moved north. The ace of hearts went south, the ace of diamonds east and the ace of clubs moved to the west."

Completely enraptured, he nodded for her to continue. She cleared her throat and reached for the pile that the ace of hearts was under.

"The ace of hearts missed his friends, so he took the initiative and went looking for them." She turned the pile upside down and showed the ace, before waving her hand over it and showing Frederick that the card had disappeared. "He disappeared without a trace."

"The ace of clubs heard of his disappearance, and followed in his steps." She showed him the mini deck with the club in it and turned the card around, rubbing it before showing that it too, had disappeared. "He also went to search for his missing companions."

"Now, the ace of diamonds was always a quick one. He had heard of his friends leaving and just like that..." She quickly flipped the deck that housed the diamond only to show that it had vanished. "He was off to find their leader."

She paused and sighed, adding another layer to her story. "The leader had his own burdens as well." She showed him that the spade pile also had random cards before waving her hand over them and placing the cards down one by one. "But with his friends and allies beside him, nothing was too much for him to handle."

With a flourish, she showed him that the cards in the deck proved to be the missing aces.

A few people around her began to clap quietly, but otherwise the spell that she seemed to have cast with her story lay unbroken.

"Okay."

She looked him in the eye, a questioning look on her face.

"You can stay with me, and I will return to the castle once we have solved the little mystery we have here."

* * *

If you guys can name the card trick I have here, you get a cookie! I changed a bit of the story behind the cards but it was nothing too drastic. Bye for now!

~Sun


	4. The Fight

I guess you guys get another chapter this soon? I had the idea for this chapter and knew that if I didn't start writing it would be gone forever. Just telling you guys now, if I ever start a relationship you don't like your character in or you see something better, don't be afraid to tell me! Or even if you just really want your character with Frederick (He's bisexual so gender isn't an issue) just tell me and I'd be more than happy to include it!

And for those curious, the trick in the last chapter was called the "McDonalds Aces" card trick! Those of you who tried get a complementary cookie 🍪

* * *

Evalynn had stepped out for a moment to send a letter to someone, so Frederick was waiting inside before they departed. Remembering that he never got his precious honey-almond milk, he stood and tried to make his way over to the exit to find some. Tried being the key word. For no more than a second later, another male had gotten up and Frederick crashed into him. He seemed to be maybe 5'8, and with Frederick being 6'1 the other male was a bit shorter. That did nothing to stop him from being intimidating. Nonetheless, Frederick smiled at him and apologized.

"I'm sorry sir, I did not mean to bump into you. I hope you accept my apologies."

The man began to laugh rambunctiously, and called out to his friends. "Y'all see this? Pretty boy over here thinks an apology is enough to satiate the flames of my anger."

The crowd of friends laughed with him and the man tilted Frederick's face down to meet his own. "Maybe I'll just keep you around as my little pet, pretty boy."

Disgusted, he yanked himself out of the man's grasp and said, "How dare you speak to me in such a manner. I only tried to apologize yet I get this? I am not 'Pretty Boy' nor am I your pet. Quite frankly, you would never be my type."

The man's friends started laughing at him instead of with him, and that seemed to upset him more than before. Grabbing the collar of his cloak, he pulled him towards the sword Frederick hadn't noticed in his hand before an axe landed between the two of them. A smooth, masculine voice called for their attention, and Frederick looked to his savior.

He was dressed in a rich white tunic that wrapped around his body with brown sandals, making his lilac eyes seem even brighter and his soft brown hair look even fuller in comparison. He stood from his seat and went to retrieve his axe, seemingly unperturbed by the silence.

"Now now, that's no way to treat someone. If you treated a lady that way, many people would have your head."

As he said the word head, he broke between Frederick and his assailant. He grabbed the other man by the hair, axe by his neck, and turned to where Frederick had lost his balance and fell.

"Do you not have a weapon?"

Heart still in his throat from his near death experience, he silently shook his head.

The brunette sighs but before he can speak, Evalynn bursts through the door, hearing the commotion from outside. She looks around the room and sighs, pulling out her spear as she speaks.

"I cannot even leave my prince alone for 5 minutes. What did you do this time?"

He sputters before squeaking out a quick, "Ididn'tevendoanythingthistime!" All he did was breathe and all of a sudden he was the one causing trouble? Granted, he did crash into someone but it shouldn't have been such a big deal anyways.

The man and his groupies completely ignore the redhead, focusing on the men in front of them instead. They shift their swords up into a fighting stance and before they clash weapons, Evalynn whispers the plan to Frederick as the stranger notices and keeps them entertained with some sort of pre-battle speech.

* * *

That didn't mean it was a good plan. He hated every second of it but opted to trust his much more experienced retainer. He couldn't help but think this was completely mortifying though. He ran away from the men, with the stranger from before cutting down the backline as they fled.

Slowly, the pack began to shrink and he saw the entrance to the town looming nearby. He recalled Evalynn's words and regretted agreeing to this.

_"They seem to be ignoring me for some reason, so we should use this to our __advantage. As soon as I leave, I need you to run to the edge of town. As soon as you reach the border, drop to the floor."_

_Before he could ask any questions, he sees her nod to the other male and sneak away. He finishes his speech with flourish and gets into a battle stance, at which Frederick immediately runs out. The group ignores the stranger at their leader's request and move after him._

**_"As soon as you reach the border, drop to the floor."_**

With a grimace but without hesitation, he 'trips' gracelessly and hears powerful wings above his up, he sees a beautiful white pegasus and her rider. Evalynn has a fierce gleam in her eyes and her movements are filled with confidence. He sees her drop something towards him and rushes up to catch it.

His personal 'weapon' lands in his hands, the beautiful staff that has an intricate handle, decorated with different kinds of flowers. Roses are the main kind, with lilies and carnations also engraved in the handle. The gold of the staff seems to shimmer when hit by the light and seems to be delicate but he hasn't broken it yet.

Hearing the gallop of a horse, he immediately knows it's Evangeline. Sunshard in hand, he mounts his horse and prepares to support the two people aiding him.

The brunette seems to be holding his own, with only a few cuts here and there. Focusing his energy, he pushes his own method of healing through the staff. Thinking of calm days and warm tea, taking Evangeline on relaxing walks and the joys of helping others. He feels it course through him and knows that it worked because of how excited Evangeline was. The man seemed to attack even more, keeping his enemies at bay easily.

Frederick expected to have to go through the same thing with Evalynn as well, but at first he couldn't find her. He then saw her far into the sky, thinking for a moment. Maybe only one second later, she flew past him at incredible speeds to take down three enemies without a scratch on herself. Impressed, he watches her repeat the process with the last two on her end. She takes out one of the ruffians and gets the other while he is distracted, effectively clearing her area.

Looking back to his axe wielder, he was surprised to find that he was speaking to the leader. Clearly, he did not like what was being said. After a few more words were exchanged, he cut the leader down too.

Evalynn lands near Evangeline and Frederick, watching the two.

"He was the only death."

At her liege's words, she looks at him questioningly.

He shakes himself out of his thoughts and speaks much louder.

"Please find another healer in town, I would rather not have to tend to all of them myself."

" I cannot allo-"

"Please, Evalynn. I need to speak to our new... friend."

She narrows her eyes but flies into town, trusting her instincts and his steed to know best.

As she flies away, he walks to the man but doesn't get the chance to speak first.

"Does that sort of thing happen often? The fighting, I mean."

Frederick immediately shakes his head and says, "No, I've never been in a fight like that."

As if time slowed down a bit, or his mind was racing to keep up with reality, he saw an axe move towards his chest and automatically used his staff to defend himself. Sunshard twisted to it's side, blocking the blade from hitting his body. He looked to see the man staring at him curiously.

"Is that your only weapon? You only heal?"

Embarrassed for some reason, he nods and feels the weight of the axe lesson before being removed entirely.

"Sourno."

"Pardon?"

He hears the man chuckle, a soft but gruff sound. "My name is Sourno, and I request to stick with you to make sure you don't die."

At this he bows and nods, pausing before speaking.

"Frederick... Just Frederick will do."

* * *

Another introduction! I hope I'm doing decently with these chapters, I always try to have at least 1k words before sending it out-

Not related to this story so feel free to skip the rest of the AN, but let me just talk about Toy Story 4 without spoiling anything. They did wonderfully with the animations, the water looked beautiful and the fur of some stuffed animals looked so good and moved well! I almost cried a couple of times but it would have been well worth the tears. And I completely relate to the spork character revealed in the trailers to be honest XD

I'm done now, I hope you have a great day!

~Sun


	5. The Dream

Half of this had been finished for a while, but classes came after me and all of my extracurricular activities started piling up TwT

Hopefully this makes up for it!

* * *

_The colors swirled and blended with no real direction, crashing and flowing as one entity and many. The beauty parted to familiar faces, his mother and father looking at him with adoration. The colors grayed before his mother collapsed and his father looked to him, eyes filled with disdain and disgust._

_"You are a failure, it is your fault she is gone. If you had stayed at the castle, this could have been prevented. How could I have raised such a pathetic prince?"_

_He tried to speak, to say anything but he was completely mute. No sounds would come out even as he screamed. Collapsing to the floor, he clenched his own shirt and pulled. With a start, he realized that his necklace was missing. Frantically searching for it, he saw it in his father's hand._

_"You don't deserve to wear this."_

_It became harder for him to breathe, the air getting caught in his chest, the suffocation and feeling of helplessness. The dread as he saw his father crush the necklace with his bare hands and throw it at his-_

* * *

"-hness!"

He woke with a start, gasping for air as he searched for his assailant. All he saw was a blur of red and felt something shoved into his hand. Feeling glass and very familiar frames, he put his glasses on and saw Evalynn staring at him. She held her spear and seemed worried.

His voice was thick with sleep and foreign to his as he spoke. "What is it?"

"I don't know."

At the inquisitive gaze he gave her, she elaborated.

"I've grown used to protecting you from aside, so now when I sense danger I am unsure as to whether I should take you someplace safe or go check the threat and leave you alone, your highness."

He stood and walked to the entrance of the tent they (They being Evalynn) had set up for him before gesturing for her to follow.

"I can stay with Sourno while you check, then perhaps you can sleep while I watch over everything."

She mumbled something about their new friend being someone to watch, before taking to the sky in her pegasus. The white steed, who he learned was named Alizeh, looked back at him before taking her rider further into the air.

Still shaken from his dream, he went back into his tent. He probably should have went with Sourno, but it was still late and he didn't want to disturb his rest. He felt his senses peak as something moved in his tent. Cautiously moving forward, he grabbed his staff and considered calling someone. He continued and saw a rustle in his satchel before it stopped. He knelt down and went to open the flap before gasping and falling back when the creature jumped out at him.

It was a small mouse eating one of the fruits he had left for future snacks, and a very familiar crest had wrapped around it's black body. Panic filled his chest as he realized what it had, so he tried to coax it towards him. As soon as it sensed the smallest movement, it ran out of the tent with his necklace and fruit.

Cursing and surprising himself he hoped Sourno was a light sleeper as he yelled and passed his tent, staff in hand.

"TELL EVALYNN I WILL RETURN SOON!"

* * *

As he ran, he heard a steady gallop and turned to see Evangeline running towards him. Grabbing her mane and twisting his body so that he landed on her back, they followed the small black dot with a silver chain on it's back. The sun had not begun to rise, so it was a bit harder to keep sight of the rodent.

After maybe 10 minutes, he saw a rock outcrop straight ahead, so he assumed that the mouse would run there. If it went underground, he would more than likely lose the crest forever. He asked Evangeline to move faster in a gentle tone, trying not to overwork her.

He lost the mouse and was forced to dismount from his steed, crouching to the floor. As he approached the rock and walked along the edge, he heard the dagger fly towards his arm before he felt where it nicked his bicep. His other sleeve soon was pinned to the same rock and he looked up to see where they were coming from.

He heard the voice before seeing it's owner, a warm and silvery soft tone that could have either belonged to a male or a masculine woman.

"Did you harm her?"

The previously warm voice was slightly tinged with anger as the owner revealed themselves.

"Did you hurt Elly at all?"

The male look at him intently, his soft white curls framing his pale blue eyes. He wore a high-necked cloak and the chest of his white tunic was black, and his deep blue trousers matched his knee-high black boots. Holding another dagger in his hand, he was clearly waiting for Frederick's answer.

"Wha- Of course not! Why would I harm a small creature like... her?"

The man nodded and turned away from him before moving towards Evangeline. He placed his hands on her muzzle and spoke softly to her, before she nuzzled against him.

"How dare you, this is the ultimate betrayal. There will be songs of how a young man was abandoned by his own steed in favor of a stranger."

He thought he said this in his head, and the other male stifled a laugh at that. Bending down to pick up his mouse, he untangled the necklace from her body and whistled.

"This is worth quite a bit, isn't it? Elly dear, you did fantastically with this one! But please don't go wandering off without me next time."

Before Frederick could say anything, a shadow quickly sped though the area and swiped the jewelry from his hand. Both of them were surprised to have it stolen from right in front of them. The stranger's eyes narrowed and all trace of joking had vanished. His expression said 'How dare they' and his eyes were furious. All Frederick saw was amber eyes and black hair before the shadow vanished.

The blue eyed stranger picked up his things and helped Elly into the collar of his cloak before beginning to walk away.

"H-hey! Are you going to get the necklace back?"

Without turning, the other man shrugged and paused before sighing and turning around. He walked towards Frederick and pulled the daggers out of the rock he was stuck to. Finally freed, he rubbed his arms in hopes of getting the blood to flow right. The cut began to ache but he would take care of that later.

"Perhaps I can trade the crest for something of equal value?"

His white curls began to shine with the rising sun, and he responded simply.

"This is going to sound bad, but I should help you...why exactly? I'm a thief that has been stolen from, and I'm in no rush to help someone I do not know."

"My name is Frederick, and now you know something about me." He held a slight bow and extended his arm.

The other man looked at him with a ghost of a smile before turning and walking a bit further.

"May we meet where the wind kisses heaven and hell, if that's what the gods decree."

And with that riddle, he disappeared with the sunrise.

* * *

Again, sorry for the wait but I hope it met your standards! Introductions are the hardest things for me to write, so if you don't like how I'm doing them please drop suggestions! (Just do it nicely because I'm a bit sensitive -w-)

~Sun


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